Armand V. Cardello

Food quality: Relativity, context and consumer expectations

Abstract Food quality is a complex concept that is frequently measured using objective indices related to the nutritional, microbiological, or physicochemical characteristics of the food or in terms of the opinions of designated experts. However, when food quality is defined in terms of ‘degree of excellence’ none of these measures serve as adequate indices of food quality. The argument is presented that food quality is a consumer-based perceptual/evaluative construct that is relative to person, place and time and that is subject to the same influences of context and expectations as are other perceptual/evaluative phenomena. It is further argued that the measurement construct that comes closest to being an adequate index of food quality is that which has come to be called ‘consumer acceptability.’

Effect of expectations and the definition of product category on the acceptance of unfamiliar foods

Abstract Expected and actual acceptance of three unfamiliar vs. three familiar foods were examined among US subjects to determine the extent to which positive information about their origin, nutritional properties and flavor, in the presence or absence of product category information, contributed to their acceptance. Subjects ( n =160) were divided into the following four conditions: (1) `NOI Unfamiliar foods, no verbal information; (2) `INFO Unfamiliar foods, positive information without product category; (3) `INFO+ Unfamiliar foods, positive information including product category; and (4) `CTR Familiar foods, no information, control group. The subjects rated their expected liking/disliking prior to tasting (based on information in conditions 2 and 3, and based on appearance in all conditions), their actual liking, and the degree to which the foods matched/mismatched their sensory and hedonic expectations after tasting. Generally, positive information enhanced ratings of unfamiliar samples, but product-specific information effects were large, and no proof was obtained for the superiority of the INFO+ (compared to INFO) condition in the enhancement of liking. Actual liking was best predicted by expected liking based on either verbal information or on seeing the product. The expected liking was mainly predicted by the degree of liking and frequency of use of the specific familiar reference products. Thus, the acceptance of an unfamiliar food is largely determined by how it relates to familiar foods that are part of an individuals current diet.

Attitudes of consumers toward military and other institutional foods

Abstract In a series of studies, attitudes of military and civilian consumers toward military and other institutional foods, e.g. foods served in school cafeterias, hospitals, military dining halls, on airlines, etc., were examined. The goals of this research were to (1) quantify the extent and nature of these attitudes in terms of expected acceptability and expected quality of the food; (2) determine whether these attitudes can be classified as stereotypical; (3) assess the relative importance of presumed causes of poor quality and acceptability in institutional food, e.g. skills of food preparers, ingredient quality, consumption environment, etc.; (4) identify the specific aspects of perceived food quality, e.g. flavor, texture, nutritive value, etc., that most differentiate commercial from military institutional food; (5) quantify the relationship between expectations of acceptability and actual acceptability ratings of military institutional food; and (6) detail the empirical effect of institutional vs. brand name food labeling on hedonic acceptability ratings. The results of these studies showed broad and significant effects of institutional food stereotypes on food acceptance and food quality ratings. The results were interpreted within the context of a psychological model of the role of consumer expectations on food acceptability. The implications of the data for institutional and brand name food marketing are discussed.

Food appropriateness measures as an adjunct to consumer preference/acceptability evaluation

Abstract Twenty-nine laboratory taste tests were conducted, each with from 27 to 38 consumers. During each test, one or more food products were tested for preference/acceptability and then rated for their appropriateness in 10 different use situations. Additional tests were conducted to assess any biasing effect of collecting the appropriateness data on the obtained acceptance ratings and the applicability of appropriateness scaling to conceptual products. Results indicated that: (1) appropriateness ratings had very similar patterns for products that varied little in basic physical properties that might influence use; (2) there were significant differences among products in their appropriateness ratings for certain use situations, enabling useful distinction of the products; (3) products that did not differ in preference/acceptability had significant differences in their appropriateness for certain food use situations; (4) the testing procedure was equally effective for use with actual and conceptual products; and (5) there was no evidence of a preference-appropriateness interaction effect. It is concluded that appropriateness ratings can be obtained in taste tests without jeopardizing the validity of preference/ acceptability judgments. In addition, appropriateness judgments obtained as part of routine sensory evaluation can provide valuable information to guide product development and to maximize product utility in the intended use situation.

Role of attitudes, dietary restraint, and fat avoidance strategies in reported consumption of selected fat-free foods

Abstract The roles of attitudes, dietary restraint, and fat avoidance strategies in past (reported) and future (forecast) consumption of fat-free foods (represented by pound cake, saltine crackers, and processed American cheese) were studied among 116 adult American subjects using correlational and multiple regression approaches. The predictive power was highest when the predictors were specific to the action, i.e. directly related to the consumption of fat or fat-free products, but also the cognitive dimension of restrained eating was related to the consumption of fat-free foods. Both the past and the future consumption were best predicted by two composite scales, one related to the pleasantness of eating fat-free foods and the other on the acquired tendency to substitute low-fat products for high-fat alternatives.

An emotional approach to beef evaluation

The emotions associated with beef consumption, the influence of breeding system information on emotions (Conventional - C vs Only from the Italian Simmental - OIS label) and their relationship with liking were evaluated by 93 meat consumers. Respondents were asked to evaluate the same samples of Italian Simmental meat provided with the two different labels. Liking scores were obtained using a 9-point scale and the emotions from the EsSense25 list were scored on 5-point scale (1=not at all, 5=extremely). A positive and significant effect of OIS information was highlighted on liking scores. Moreover, the breeding system information significantly affected 22 out of the 25 emotions. OIS label elicited higher positive and lower negative feelings about the meat than did the C label. Providing the same beef with different breeding information led to different emotions being evoked in consumers, and these differences in emotions were associated with different levels of liking for beef.